Chapter 3 ~the Silver Star~
"Hey, Sakura?" Yoichi said while she rested her head on his shoulder under the big tree of the park.
"What is it?" She asked carefully, looking at his face illuminated by the orange colors of the sunset.
"I have been thinking about… something I want to do." He said. He had a way of speaking that Sakura loved. Well, it was natural, since he was one year older than her.
"What is that?" She asked, suddenly interested by his mysterious words.
Yoichi started to lean closer and closer until their faces were only a few inches apart. Somehow, she knew what he wanted to do, and it was so romantic. Her first kiss was going to be with her beloved boyfriend under a tree in the sunset. The moment couldn't be more perfect for Sakura. Their lips were about to connect when…
"YOICHI, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" An angry voice came from the other side of the park, making the kids separate suddenly. They stared at the person who had interrupted them. Sakura stared in question at her, while Yoichi's eyes widened.
"Who are you?" Sakura asked with her always-sweet voice, standing up with Yoichi following her in no time.
"I'm Yoichi's girlfriend!" She yelled at Sakura while she glared at her. "Who are you?!"
"I… I'm his girlfriend." She replied beginning to understand what was going on. She stared at Yoichi, the same as the other girl with long, black hair did once she realized Sakura's innocence. "Yoichi?"
"I… let me explain it, Sakura." He pleaded, but Sakura turned around, not wanting to hear it and her heart breaking when she saw that other poor girl who was also leaving. Suddenly, Yoichi's hand closed around her arm making her to turn around. "I told you to let me explain it." He said with his always serious tone, but this time he sounded even more demanding.
"Leave me alone!" She yelled as she tried to shake his hand off frenetically, only gaining that Yoichi held it even tighter, causing what was going to be a horrible bruise.
"Let me explain it!" He was yelling at that point, weird on him, but Sakura didn't care.
She closed her free hand and punched her boyfriend right in his eye, making him let her arm go to cover his injured eye; she ran to her house, swearing she'd never cry for a boy again …
***
Not the best place to sleep, Sakura thought angrily as the sun's rays flashed her eyes and, even if she had them closed, she could see the orange light through her translucent eyelids. She opened slowly her eyes only to see, at first, the bright rays literally burning her eyes; after a while she managed to get used to the light's brightness and she was able to open her eyes and take a look around.
The forest was exactly the same as she remembered it, only that the morning light changed a bit the sight. Instead of the orange colors of the afternoon, the forest had a sweet tone of innocence with the white light mixed with a bit of yellow and green. Everything looked younger and even more charming and calmer than the day before. Speaking of the day before… what happened to Kouji? Sakura realized that she hadn't seen Kouji since last night. She snapped her head from tree to tree, caves, rocks, she even looked inside the hole she'd made the day before and found no signs of Kouji. Her nightmare wasn't helping either, especially when she needed to find Kouji and she couldn't get Yoichi out of her head. It was then that sharp pains crossed through her hand, making Sakura realize that it was covered in blood.
She tried to clean the blood with the grass that had been her bed, but it wouldn't work. No blood was staying on the grass. After trying to clean the blood even with her own hand, she couldn't help but crying. No more blood was coming from her hand, but she could still feel the stinging of the injury. To make this worse, the simple sight of blood made her feel sick. Her eyes filled with tears of despair for not being able to clean the blood, of her hand, not to mention the fact that she was alone.
"Sakura?" Kouji's voice came from where they had fallen asleep the night before. It was only a matter of seconds before Kouji saw her crying over her blood-covered hand. His eyes reflected something different than his usual indifference. It was like the day before when he founded her hurt at the station. They were… worried, alarmed, and angry, all in one.
"Kouji!" She gasped the moment she saw him. Good time to appear!
"Who…?" Kouji began as he approached Sakura and touched her hand, but he was cut off by a flashing of light that came from Sakura's hand.
It was a beautiful silver and white light that illuminated the whole forest. They could have sworn that it was a star, because it was too bright and pretty that neither of them could take their eyes off it. Just like water, the light cleaned all the blood, revealing a small cut on Sakura's palm underneath a drop-shaped object. It was indeed a little drop of a material that looked like silver. It gave the impression of being liquid, because of something inside moving like sliver colored water, however, it was as solid as a rock. Kouji immediately let go of her hand and contemplated the drop that move slightly on Sakura's palm.
"What happened?" Sakura asked as she took the little drop with her other hand and stared at it. It seemed so fragile.
"I… don't know." Kouji replied. "What happened to you, by the way?"
"I don't know either." She admitted. "I woke up and my hand was all ready like that."
"Maybe you just cut yourself during the night." Kouji suggested. "It wouldn't be the first time you do something stupid without realizing." He teased again.
"Hey! It's not fair! You are supposed to be helping me, not reminding me how dumb you thing I am!" She would have yelled harder, but she just didn't feel like it; her blood pressure was probably low.
"I didn't…" Kouji began, but some voices interrupted them.
The first voice sounded sweet and helpless, while the other ones sounded husky and frightening. Sakura recognized the voices right away: there were Pagumon. She immediately stood up, followed by Kouji, who listened very carefully to the voice's direction.
"Kouji…" Sakura began, believing that Kouji wouldn't agree to help the Digimon in trouble.
"I know." He replied to Sakura's surprise, and then kept listening. After a while, he started running towards some trees; Sakura followed him in no time.
That part of the forest was darker and deeper, even if it was in the morning. Kouji can surely run fast, she thought as she tried with all her strength to keep up with him. Just when she was about to catch him, he stopped suddenly, making Sakura crash with his back, but she didn't even had time to rub her forehead. The same husky voice she'd heard the day before was speaking right in front of them. Sakura's hand tightened around Kouji's arm.
"What do you have there, little fellow?!" The Pagumon laughed.
"Leave me alone!" The other Digimon yelled with his little voice.
"Hey!" Sakura whispered, and she was determined to stop that when Kouji pushed her aside just in time to hide from other six Pagumon that joined the one that was messing up with the frightened, little Digimon.
"Hush! Do you want to let them see us?" Kouji whispered, peering from behind of the big tree they had used as hiding place.
"I can't let them do that! We have to do something!"
"Let me handle it." Kouji turned around to look at her right in the eye and smirked, holding his D-Tector on his right hand.
"Show off!" Sakura whispered.
Kouji ignored her comment and just kept smirking, getting a good hold at his D-Tector.
"Execute!" He yelled as the same blinding light appeared, accompanied by the Codes she'd seen the day before. "Spirit Evolution!"
As the blue light disappeared, Lobomon stood still in front of Sakura. He looked around in search of other Pagumon that could attack him, but he found nothing. Then, before Sakura could say anything, he got out his sword and stepped out from behind the tree. Without losing any time, he started attacking the Pagumon, who immediately fled; then, Lobomon disappeared, leaving Kouji in his place. Sakura was so surprised of how quickly it had all finished that she had to blink repeatedly to realize that it was all over.
"A-are you all right?" She asked the little creature. Kouji simply stood there, staring.
"I think so… thank you!" The little Digimon exclaimed.
"No problem." Kouji replied. Sakura was thinking about saying that same thing, but Kouji had done all the work; he was the one that had all the credit. Still, she was surprised that he had replied.
"So… what are you?" Sakura asked.
"I'm a Poyomon!" The Digimon announced happily as he waddled around and rubbed his head against Sakura's leg.
"A Poyomon?" Sakura giggled. "Oh, you are so cute!" She couldn't help exclaiming.
"Yeah, until they try to eat you." Kouji muttered. Sakura stood up and walked to where he was, making sure the Poyomon wasn't following.
"Don't be so rude! You just saved him!"
"We don't know what it is that I saved." Kouji said, looking at the apparently innocent Poyomon.
"What is your point? Just the fact that he's a Digimon doesn't mean he's evil!" Sakura's anger grew with each passing instant. Why Kouji couldn't trust anyone!
"Not because he looks innocent it means he is not dangerous." Kouji fought back. Touché, Sakura thought angrily.
"Anyway, if we are nice, he won't hurt us." She glared a bit at Kouji and then went back to where the Poyomon was. Kouji just stood there, not knowing what he really felt.
"Can you help us?" Sakura asked the Poyomon. "We are looking for a Spirit."
"I'm sorry." The Poyomon looked down. "I don't know anything about a spirit." He apologized.
Kouji let out a little grunt, letting clear his disagreement at sharing information with a Digimon they didn't know as he walked away and leaned on a faraway tree, crossing his arms over his chest. Right then, Sakura's hand began aching again, and she let out a little grunt. The Poyomon approached her, and Kouji watched her closely with troubled eyes, but he didn't move a muscle.
The silver drop in her pocket started to glow almost as bright as the first time. Sakura got it out and it started to spin, suspended in the air until it stopped and pointed at Kouji. Both, Sakura and the Poyomon stared at the drop and then at Kouji, who separated from the tree and approached them. In the minute he stood between Sakura and the Poyomon, the drop stopped glowing and it fell heavily into Sakura's palm again.
"What…?" Sakura and Kouji were about to ask, but Poyomon interrupted… again.
"It's the Silver Star!" He announced with fear.
"The Silver Star?" Sakura asked.
"Do you know what this is?" Kouji asked too, pointing at the drop Sakura held.
"No, but I can take you to someone who can." Poyomon offered.
"Is it very far from here?" Sakura asked. "Will they give us water?" She was literally dying of thirst.
"So you are trying to head to the unknown village with him?" Kouji asked, rising and eyebrow.
"That's my intention." She replied, a bit frightened of what Kouji might think, but she was also determined to go to that village, find what that star was.
"Now you're thinking." He smirked.
Sakura looked at him with her eyebrows raised. Had he agreed to her idea? That usually didn't happen!
"Well, Poyomon, what are you waiting for? We don't have all day!" Kouji looked at the small creature until he waddled ahead and they were able to follow him.
"Why did you change your mind?" Sakura asked him in a low voice. He shrugged.
"Curiosity." He lied. Actually, he kept thinking it was a bad idea to follow the Poyomon, but he wasn't in the mood to argue with Sakura.
***
After a while of walking silently, not even the Pollomon tried to modify the silence, even if he had a lot to share with the two kids. He knew everything they didn't about the Digital World and how to find Sakura's Spirit.
She was distracted by her Spirit and she decided to get lost in her thoughts until one of the two guys decided to talk. Why was it that Kouji had founded his Spirit and she hadn't? If he was right and she had played an important part in the finding of his Spirit, what part would Kouji play this time? What does it really feels to Evolve? She was right; Kouji had only said it was 'cool', but he hadn't specified any details. He was so indifferent and he would never show her his true feelings!
That what was made him different from other boys, like Takuya or Yoichi. Takuya was always happy and he tried to be optimistic, or at least that was the impression Sakura had on him, and Yoichi… he always tried to please her but she hardly saw him after he moved to a house far from hers and from their school… and he had turned out to be a stupid liar, though he still looked for her forgiveness, but Kouji was always a mystery. She wondered how Kouji would take it if she called him 'friend'.
"What's in this village, anyway?" Kouji asked, sounding bored. Sakura couldn't blame him; she was also very tired from walking so much.
"It is not really a village." Poyomon waddled happily. "There are only a couple of houses. We are looking for one of the wisest Digimon I know."
"Grate." Kouji muttered.
"Is it safe to go there?" Sakura asked. She was beginning to understand Kouji's point. What if that old Digimon wasn't particularly nice? Poyomon was about to talk when Kouji answered.
"Safety doesn't worry me as much." He said, very reflexive.
"Why not?" Sakura asked. It was uncomfortable having to talk to Kouji while the Poyomon kept listening and interrupting.
"Because I can Evolve." He simply replied.
"Well, excuse me, but for people that do not have a Spirit yet, safety is a big concern!" She yelled at him, putting again her hands on her hips.
"While you are with me you'll be safe." Kouji looked away and placed his hand on his pocket again. "I can protect you." He softly added, but he knew Sakura hadn't heard him… or he hoped.
The truth was that she had heard him very well and she knew that it was a bit true, even if she hated to admit it. He could fight any evil Digimon that came across their path. She hated to depend on someone and she definitely was determined to find her Spirit soon. Still, she was surprised by the glimpse of cuteness she'd caught on Kouji's voice.
"So, what worries you, then?" She proceeded as if she hadn't heard what he said, making Kouji relax a bit.
"The kind of Digimon we might find there." Kouji admitted, turning around with his characteristic serious tone. Sakura sighted. "What?"
"What, what?" She replied as she blushed a bit and lowered her eyes.
"Why did you sigh?" Kouji's eyes looked for hers, but she didn't face him.
"Personal reasons." She simply replied, hoping that would shush him for a minute.
"I don't buy that." Kouji replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets again.
"Then, don't."
"Look, there it is the house of the Digimon I was talking about!" Poyomon cried happily as he jumped slightly.
The three of them contemplated the old house, which was more like a tent. Sakura wondered how someone could live in a place like that. They all hurried down to the "house", just like the Poyomon told them. Outside the tent, about 20 different Digimon were waiting by what could be the entrance to the tent. Some were sweet and cute like Poyomon; in fact, there were about two other Poyomon at the front of the line.
"Wow, all these Digimon are waiting to see the same Digimon we came to see?" Sakura asked. Poyomon nodded.
"I think I know how to get first." Poyomon said with his cheerful voice and waddled to the front of the line. "Wait here." He added.
"You think he'll be fine?" Sakura asked as she saw how the little Poyomon got inside the tent, earning some ugly looks from the others.
"You worry too much for a stranger." Kouji said.
"I… don't know why." Sakura admitted as she thought of that idea. "Can I ask you something?" She asked Kouji.
"Would a negative reply make a difference?" He returned as he looked at her. She hated that everyone was taller than her. Kouji was, at least, one inch and a half. taller than her. She had to look up to see him.
"Why you never tell me what you are thinking?"
"Because I don't want you to know, Little Nuisance." He replied coldly. She crossed her arms above her chest. He's doing it again…
"I tell you what; we are going to play a little game." She said with a smile showing on her face.
"I don't like games, Sakura." Kouji fought back. The truth was that he could handle games very well, but Sakura wasn't the type of girl who wouldn't invent a game if it wasn't for selfish purposes.
"Oh." She simply replied, sounding disappointed. "It's… fine, then." Her smile faded with every word and her eyes filled with a few tears.
"Sakura…" Kouji began, totally confused by what was happening.
"No, it's all right." She sobbed. "I just… wanted to play… a game, but if you don't like them… I guess I should wait for Poyomon then." She kept going as she turned around and started cleaning her tears with her arm, smirking to herself.
"Well, I bet he won't be long." Kouji said angrily as he turned his back on her.
"What?!" Sakura yelled as she turned around, looking at Kouji's back with her mouth opened. The traces of fake tears were still in her eyes. "That trick is supposed to work always with boys! What's wrong with you?!"
"I don't fall for those things." Kouji smirked as he turned around.
"Damn you!" Sakura muttered and Kouji simply chuckled.
"Who would have thought this could get interesting?" Kouji said after a moment. "What game do you want to play?" He thought severely about ignoring Sakura, but curiosity beat him this time.
"You… you are going to play?" She mumbled. He shrugged. "Well, since I realized that there wasn't enough communication between you and me, I came up with this game: you need to tell me everything that is on your mind, and vice versa." Sakura explained.
"That's it?" Kouji asked. Sakura nodded shyly. It wasn't the most brilliant game. "I'll play with one condition: the person that says more thoughts by the end of today wins."
"Wins what?"
"Hum…" Kouji doubted. "I'll think of that later."
"Well then, sounds like a good game!" Sakura cheered up, knowing that her first game had been a complete fraud. "That's one point for me!"
"Silly girl!" Kouji muttered and turned around again. This is the worst idea I've had in my whole life. Why did I agreed to play… and under those stupid rules I invented?!
"Hey! What's your problem?!" Sakura yelled at him.
"The thought crossed my mind." Kouji defended himself. "That's one point for me, too."
"Move around! Where are they?!" A female's voice came from the front of the line, interrupting Sakura and Kouji's insult game.
Kouji and Sakura moved to one side of the huge line to see well. There was a Digimon woman whose skin was white as a sheet of paper and she was dressed in black. She had four arms, similar to those of a spider. In fact, she was creepy. Still, she didn't look old.
"Ah, the humans!" She exclaimed. "Make way for them!" She commanded as the other Digimon in the line moved to the side glaring at the human kids, leaving a clear path for them. "Come on, my dears. Don't be shy."
"Kouji?" Sakura whispered, careful not to move her lips to much. She had a bad feeling about it. Kouji's hand was suddenly around Sakura's arm, holding it tightly.
"It's all right!" Poyomon encouraged as he jumped happily. Neither of the kids had realized that he was standing there until he spoke. "This is the Digimon that can help us!" He exclaimed with joy… as usual.
"Come on, let's go." Kouji whispered. "This was a bad idea."
"Wait!" Sakura cried. "Poyomon trusts her; that means we can trust her too." Sakura said, even if she was ice cold.
"Sakura, your trusting-Poyomon-games have gone too far this time." Kouji muttered severely, but they didn't have time to move.
In a blink of an eye, the Digimon had moved from where the Poyomon was as fast as a spider would have and was behind Kouji and Sakura. She kindly wrapped her arms around their shoulders and pushed them forward to the tent.
"There is nothing to fear… except my appearance." She laughed. "I won't harm you; all I want is to help you find what you need." She said kindly and with a warm smile, but her appearance was still creepy.
Kouji could do nothing but to glare at Sakura, who smiled back nervously, knowing that, if something happened to them, it would be her fault.
***
The inside of the tent was definitely better than the outside; that was for sure. Sakura and Kouji entered the tent, escorted by the Digimon, who kept talking about how much she wanted to help them. Poyomon also entered behind them.
The tent was bigger than it looked. It had all kinds of books and weird things, probably used for whatever it was that the Digimon did. The smell was delicious, though, like a mix of chocolate and vanilla, which were Sakura's favorite sweets. The inside was warm and cozy and the sun filtered by the many opens the tent had in the 'ceiling'. The beige color of the tent's fabric gave Sakura a familiar feeling.
"Please, take a seat!" The Digimon said cheerfully as she pointed some cushions set gently on the floor. They all had different patterns of very vivid colors. "I am Webmon."
"Thank you very much." Sakura said shyly as she and Kouji sat down. Poyomon also waddled to where they were sitting and climbed up to Sakura's shoulder.
"How can you help us?!" Kouji asked, suddenly with a horrible tone of hostility that Sakura considered appropriate for that situation.
"All in time, sweetie." She said as she prepared something, probably drinks, and then sat besides Kouji. He looked at her weirdly and decided to ignore her presence. "Now, Poyomon said you have the Silver Star." She continued. Kouji looked at her, the same as Sakura. "I'm going to have to see it."
Kouji glared at the Poyomon, now shivering slightly in Sakura's shoulder. He turned to face Webmon, but Sakura spoke first.
"No." She said coldly, tightening her fist around her silver drop, still in her pocket. "Tell us what it is first and then we will decide if you get to see it… or not." She was very serious this time. Kouji had never heard that tone in Sakura's sweet voice.
"Sakura, what are you doing?" Poyomon asked with his little voice, but only Sakura heard him. "You need to do whatever Webmon says or she is going to be very angry." He said with fear. Sakura simply ignored him, the same as she ignored Kouji's proud-like smile.
"First of all, girl, it's only your star, so you have no need on getting Poyomon or this handsome knight in shinny armor in your decisions." Webmon said, suddenly serious as she looked at Sakura coldly, then at Kouji with a weird, daydreamer look that made him very uncomfortable, and back at Sakura with that glare. "Second: when I ask for something, I expect only what I asked for. You can't challenge me like that!"
"All right, that's enough!" Kouji butted in, preventing Sakura's offensive comment he knew she was about to say. "This is not working out. Sakura, let's go." Kouji grabbed Sakura's hand and they both moved to the entrance.
Webmon stood there, shocked by what had just happened. Anger grew in all her system and, for once in her life, she was jealous of seeing that boy care so much for that stupid, little brat. In a blink of an eye, she was behind Sakura. She took her free arm and made her turn around with such a force that she let go of Kouji's arm. Everything happened so fast that Sakura couldn't react; the only thing she felt was that same sharp pain in her palm. Suddenly, Webmon's arms tightened around her and threw away. Luckily, she landed safely on the cushions, but it still hurt a bit.
A blinding, blue light appeared again and Lobomon had Webmon trapped between a wall and his sword. Sakura could have sworn she didn't hear Kouji's words for the Evolution to happen.
"So you are a knight in shinny armor after all, pretty boy!" Webmon laughed at Lobomon, who simply grunted and moved his sword closer to her neck.
"Wait!" Sakura yelled from behind.
Lobomon turned around and saw her kneeling over the cushions, staring at him with pleading eyes. He turned around and saw Webmon's mocking face again, with those eyes that meant only daydreaming about something… probably him. It had been very obvious for both Kouji and Sakura that Webmon had something with Kouji… and that was very frightening. Actually, Sakura wouldn't have been surprised if she saw Kouji's eye twitch.
"Don't do it. Let's just leave, please." She pleaded with her always sweet voice, but with a very convincing tone.
Lobomon sighted and lowered his sword, letting Webmon free. She fell to her knees and stared at Lobomon, who walked towards Sakura and, before he helped her up, transformed into Kouji again. Sakura walked over to where Poyomon had landed and picked him up easily. The little creature opened his eyes cutely, letting Sakura know he was fine. She hugged him gently and inspected him to see if he wasn't hurt.
Kouji was waiting for her, not caring to have a dangerous Digimon on his back. It was then when Sakura felt the sharp pain on her palm again and this time she could see that the drop glowed again through her pocket. She turned around and saw Kouji's eyes fixed on her; then, she saw terrified how Webmon was about to attack him... or, at least, she thought that.
"Look out!" She managed to say as she quickly searched in her pockets, but she knew it was too late. Kouji turned around only to see more clearly how Webmon rose above him.
Suddenly, another blinding light, this time silver, illuminated the tent and, taking a solid form, attacked Webmon, crashing her against a wall and knocking her out.
They both looked terrified at how Webmon stayed there, lying on the ground without moving. Sakura felt the temptation of going over there and see if she was all right, but Kouji grabbed her arm again and headed towards the door, making sure that Sakura was in the front this time, where he could watch her closely. It was no lie that Webmon had a special interest in that star and he was in a bit of a hurry to get her out of the tent, and himself out of Webmon's sight. That experience had definitely made him nervous, though he would never admit it.
When they got outside, all of the Digimon that were waiting in the line had gone and the "village" was empty and cold.
"Let's go back to where we came from." Sakura suggested.
"No." Kouji shook his head and looked back at the tent. "Let's go inside the forest and forward. I have the impression that she is not going to give up that easily."
And, with that said, the three of them headed towards the inside of the forest, where the trees grew taller and darker. In fact, it was a bit late and it was beginning to get cold and windy. Sakura had never seen a sunny day become cloudy and windy in such a short time; that wasn't normal.
***
"What happened to the weather?" Sakura asked in an attempt to improve the heavy silence with a random topic
"It is Webmon. She can change any climate when she feels like it." Poyomon said in a little whisper.
"So we are still in the middle of the day but it appears to be dusk?" Kouji asked and Poyomon nodded in reply. "Grate."
"It's not the best experience I've had." Sakura commented.
"I'm sorry." Poyomon suddenly cried as he looked down in shame. "It was my entire fault." He sobbed.
"That is not true!" Sakura exclaimed, hurt by seeing the Poyomon like that. "We should have been smarter."
"We?" Kouji asked again, in an apparently bad mood. Both of them stared at him. "I'm going to take a walk." He said, standing up and walking away.
"I need some air too." Sakura said angrily and she followed Kouji. "Wait here, I won't be long." She added, looking at Poyomon.
She made sure that they had walked enough before she spoke. She was perfectly aware that the little Poyomon liked to listen to other's conversations.
"What's the matter?" She asked once Kouji stopped. Curiously, she wasn't angry at him for how he'd treated Poyomon.
"How can you treat him well? How can you be cute and nice to him after all he did¡?" Kouji hadn't turned to face her yet.
"I don't… get it." Sakura looked at Kouji's back. Talking with his back wasn't particularly helping. It was then when he turned around. I knew it!She thought, he turns to face me when he considers me retarded or stupid.
"What is it that you don't get?!" He yelled desperately. "Didn't you hear that he told that horrible spider-like monster that you had a star?!"
"We didn't forbid him to do it." Sakura defended Poyomon, but the truth was that she knew he had gotten them into trouble. Kouji stared at her with his eyes wide opened.
"What is wrong with you!? Haven't you realized that he is working for her?!" Kouji yelled as he approached her.
"That is a very severe accusation, Kouji." Sakura whispered shyly. "We still don't know what he is doing."
"You…?" He stopped and looked at her. "You mean you all ready suspect him?"
"I didn't say that."
"I didn't say that you said it." Kouji replied. "You do suspect him."
"Yes, but I don't think he works for her." Sakura lowered her head sadly. Kouji moved closer to her.
"Why not?" He proceeded more carefully.
"Because a creature so little and innocent wouldn't do that willingly." She replied, knowing that Kouji would disagree with that idea.
"Sakura, you put too much faith in someone you don't know!" Kouji breathed again. She knew that was going to happen, Kouji wouldn't forgive the Poyomon never ever.
"I think everyone has… a reason to do things." She was going to say 'disserve a second chance', but she remembered Yoichi and she remembered how he kept asking for his second chance before she left. Not everyone could get a second chance.
"Yeah, what's his reason?" Kouji asked defiantly.
"That's what I'm trying to find out." She said, suddenly sounding very sure of herself. Kouji sighed heavily and looked at her. He had to admit she was a smart girl. "By the way, I'm winning our little game." She cheered up.
"That is not true."
"It is!"
"Yeah, you wish!" He teased as he ran back to the 'camp'.
She took a while to realize that he had challenged her, but Kouji hadn't a big advantage on her. He was running slowly on purpose! Sakura immediately accepted the challenge and chased after him.
"You can't catch me, can you?!" Kouji teased as he increased his speed little by little, provoking Sakura.
"Let's see if you laugh at me when I win you!" Sakura yelled as she put more effort into her running and suddenly appeared by his side, not knowing what she wanted to do when she got to him. Maybe push him, or just laugh at him once she won.
***
"Thanks for laughing at me, Kouji." Sakura hid her face from the two of them, trying to cover her shame and ignore Kouji's resonant laughs.
After she glared daggers at him, Kouji breathed deeply and narrowed his laughs to quiet chuckles.
It was late at night and none of the three travelers could sleep. Sakura was still angry for what had happened at the race, and Poyomon, knowing it was his fault she'd lost, had said nothing since then. The truth was that seconds before Sakura won Kouji after a very harsh competition Poyomon had popped out of some bushes, scaring Sakura to death and making her fall and loose all concentration. Result: proud Kouji had won the race with a minimum effort. They hadn't spoken much to each other since then.
The night, which was supposed to be a nice, sunny, and cozy mid-day, began chasing them after their little, disappointing race and everything became so dark that none of them could see a thing, including each other. The most horrible part was that there were no stars, logically, so Sakura couldn't distract herself from her anger.
"I don't understand why you can't light up a fire!" Sakura spoke reluctantly, forced by the shivers that had taken over her.
"I told you, if we light up a fire, Webmon will find us easily." Kouji explained for the fifth time in one hour. He was getting tired of having to explain that over and over again, but he was happy for winning the race.
"You realize that the temperature has decreased a lot, right?" Sakura asked with sarcasm in her voice. Of course he had noticed it, but he wouldn't light a fire!
"Yeah, I can feel that." He replied, concentrating all his strength in not yelling at her.
Sakura, however, felt the grate impulse of throwing a rock to his head. The bad part was that she couldn't see where he was, and she really doubted that he was in the same place he had been three hours ago. To make it even more realistic, her hand was resting above a particularly big rock. She smiled widely to herself thinking that she could actually do it if it wasn't so dark...
"You are thinking about doing something to me, right?" Kouji wondered, suddenly preoccupied by the silence that had taken place.
"How did you guessed?!" She asked surprised, not feeling like denying a horrible truth.
"Was I right?!" Kouji asked terrified and a noise was heard, Sakura guessed he stood up and started walking.
"Oh, come on! Don't tell me you are scared!" Sakura teased, amused by Kouji's sudden fear. "It was only going to throw a rock on your head." She chanted happily as she knelt in the ground and tried to find where Kouji was, following the sound of his footsteps.
"A rock on my head?! What are you trying to do, kill me?!" He yelled, only this time his voice sounded behind Sakura.
"No! Just… hurt you a bit." She said shyly and she thanked the darkness for covering her blush and her shivers from Kouji's deep eyes.
"Nice way of repaying your debts." Kouji simply replied; Sakura couldn't have guessed, but he was smiling. Hopeless, he thought calmly again.
Silence took over again, but Sakura knew Kouji hadn't return to his original spot. Suddenly, a weird noise was heard within the camp. Sakura immediately figured it was her teeth chattering.
"I didn't know Digimon could actually feel cold." Kouji muttered from a different part of the circle they formed. "Listen to that teeth chattering."
"Amm…" Sakura began shyly, gaining Kouji's attention. "It is me who is shaking terribly." She admitted, feeling how her cheeks grew hotter and hotter with every word she said. At least her face wasn't cold!
She heard Kouji's steps from around the camp until they stopped. It was so uncomfortable not seeing him! Suddenly, Sakura felt a pair of warm hands over her hands and her heart started to beat faster. More blood rushed to her cheeks.
"Are you cold?" Kouji asked, sounding right in front of her. She would have answered no, but the shivers betrayed her.
"A little." She admitted reluctantly with a cute, involuntary tone that could have melted anyone's heart.
Suddenly, her cold, bare arms felt something warm over them. The piece of clothing was soft and warm and it released a sweet, characteristic smell Sakura could only link to Kouji.
"Put it on." He 'encouraged' with his indifferent tone again.
You ruined it, Kouji, Sakura thought as he slipped her arms through the long sleeves. After she put on the jacket, she began shaking her hands in front of her, so the sleeves that were longer than her arms bounced and moved joyfully. She couldn't help to giggle; she'd never used a jacket or a blouse a couple of sizes bigger than her own, and not even Yoichi had lent her a jacket.
"Are you sure you are not cold?" Sakura asked, fearing that Kouji might die while she had his jacket.
"I'm fine. You keep it." Kouji said as he shrugged, but Sakura couldn't see him. You are more important, he added in his mind. Is she? I mean, she's a person and she's… yes, she is my friend and I'm willing to help her in everything she needs, but why am I…?
"What did you felt today, at the tent?" She interrupted Kouji's train of thoughts as she played with the jacket's sleeves.
"When Webmon flirted with me or when she tried to kill you?" He asked, hearing how she giggled and feeling the air she generated when she shook the long sleeves. Sometimes she can be such a little girl, he rolled his eyes.
"In both times." Sakura replied instantaneously, not distracting herself from her activity.
"When she flirted with me… I don't know." He sounded reflexive. "It was frightening, I suppose."
"Kouji Minamoto was frightened?" Sakura asked in a fake surprise as she giggled and measured how big the sleeves were in relation to her arms.
"When she tried to kill you…" He proceeded, ignoring the sarcastic comment. "I felt protective and… worried." He finished, though it sounded like a question, and he blushed. Sakura stopped playing with the sleeves and looked up to where Kouji's voice came from and, after her eyes focused better, she was able to see his body's outline.
"Worried? I thought you didn't care about me at all." She whispered, unsure if she wanted Kouji to hear that.
"I do care about you." He whispered softly. It was evident that they were talking about things they didn't want the other to hear. "You are… my only friend, Little Nuisance."
"I am?" Sakura asked in a soft voice.
Kouji did consider her a friend! She… had managed to get a friend after all those years of trying to find someone that might actually agree with her instead of just ignore her. She had a friend in a guy she could hardly stand until that morning. A boy that had proven to be someone, even if he was 11 years old. He could be strong and smart and very quiet and kind of a lonely wolf, but he could also be sweet and caring and nice and… and… No! Whoa! Stop! Halt! Why am I thinking this?! Sakura scolded herself for almost ruin it. She couldn't see Kouji like something else and so soon! She had Yoichi; she loved Yoichi. Kouji was just a collateral damage of her relationship. He was her friend and nothing more! And keep that in mind! She added.
"You, don't know how hard it is to make friends." Kouji kept on going, unaware of Sakura's internal debate about him.
"Believe me, I know what it is." Sakura said sadly. She could only see dark and Kouji's outline, so it was like talking to nothing. "You are also my friend, Kouji... my best friend" She admitted.
"I still don't support that we keep on going with Poyomon." He breathed.
"Shouldn't we doubt of Webmon instead?" Sakura asked, tired of the old argument.
"We'll talk about that tomorrow." Kouji ended one of the longest conversations they ever had. He doubted before adding a shy: "Sleep well, Little Nuisance."
"Huh?" Sakura opened her eyes, trying to find where Kouji was, but she knew he wasn't in front her anymore. She'd heard him move before he spoke. "Good night, Kouji." She sighed as her cheeks, which had been normal until then, grew hotter and hotter until she knew she had blushed for what Kouji said and for having to reply it; then, warmed by Kouji's jacked and the sweet smell that it released, she immersed herself in a dreamless sleep.
***
"Sakura, wake up." A voice sounded in Sakura's insides as she felt how something shook her. That reminded her of the first time she'd woken up in the Digital World… and it hadn't been nice; she had ended up with a tremendous cut on her palm.
"Let go of me!" She yelled again, fearing to open her eyes and find with the dreaded vision of blood again. Her obsession of discovering who had made that cut on her hand had passed.
"It's me, you are safe!" The voice yelled again, only this time it was clearer than the first.
"No! Let go of me!" She kept screaming with her eyes shut, though she was completely aware of her situation. "Stay away from me!" As if those were the magical words, the hands that had been shaking her disappeared and the only thing that she could hear were the sounds of dry leaves and branches breaking with every step the person took. Only then she dared to open her eyes.
"Nice to see you are back in reality." Kouji whispered from his current position –kneeling in front of her- with a little smile.
"Oh, God, Kouji! I…"
"Shhhh!" Kouji interrupted and motioned her to shut up. "She's here."
"Webmon is here?!" Sakura whispered, trying to find where she was, but she could see anything out of normal. "Where?"
"Near. I know. I can hear her." Kouji replied.
"Maybe we can set her up." Sakura suggested.
"Do we let him be the bait?" Kouji moved his head towards the sleeping Poyomon.
"No. I'll be the bait."
"That's out of the question!" Kouji looked deeply into her eyes again with that little trace of preoccupation he had shown frequently the past two days.
"Why?! It is our only chance!" She tried to convince him, seeing at how he denied with his head before she stopped talking. "You know she wants the star more than anything in the world! And she knows I have it! I can stay here with Poyomon and we'll be bait; when shows herself, Lobomon can attack easily from behind."
"Sakura…"
"You know it is our only chance to get rid of her!"
"What if something happens to you for being bait?" He whispered. The phrase would have been cute if it wasn't by the fact that they were still whispering.
"You worry too much for a simple friend." She giggled. "I have the star to protect me, Kouji. Just relax."
"Fine, you win!" Kouji said as he sighed resigned. "I'll be right there, Ok?"
"Yes, I'm fine, Kouji." She giggled.
"All right, just… don't be scared." He said before he stood up and quickly disappeared in the trees.
"Ok, Sakura." She spoke to herself as she took a few deep breaths to calm herself down and walked towards the sleeping Poyomon. "Step two: act normal and wake up Poyomon."
***
Kouji searched the perimeter until he thought he founded a good spot to check on Sakura and attack Webmon. If their plan worked right, they should be able to win her easily. He silently sat behind a tree with his D-Tector in his hand and waited until Webmon showed. He could see Sakura's figure as she woke up Poyomon and wondered around their 'camp'. He smiled. He had to admit it was a good plan. The girl was really smart. It wasn't until he watched her again the he realized she still had his jacket. He didn't feel cold, thought. It was just weird not having his blue jacket like he usually did.
"I have to admit it was a great plan." A female's voice spoke behind Kouji.
Kouji turned around quickly and he faced a total different problem. It wasn't Webmon, but the new Digimon did look a bit like her. Or, just her face, at least. It was literally a spider's body with Webmon's head. She had it all: the huge body, the eight arms, she even walked like a spider, and, this time, she didn't have legs, only arms... or whatever they were. He didn't have time to say something, because what had been Webmon had him trapped with her arms.
"Do you love me now that I became Poisonmon?" She asked with that same lost look she always gave Kouji.
"What's the matter with you?" Kouji freaked out, of course he just kept his tone indifferent, but he nearly twitches his eye in front of her. He needed to find the way of using her appropriately.
"You'll come with me. I liked your plan of setting someone up!" Poisonmon said as she looked with jealousy at Sakura.
"It is a good plan, but you are forgetting one thing!" Kouji yelled as he got a good hold of his D-Tector. "Execute! Spirit Evolution!" And the same blue light surrounded by Codes appeared. Lobomon appeared again and, just as he reached for his sword, he froze.
"Ah, ah, ah!" Poisonmon warned as she held one of her spider web strings to prevent Lobomon to get his sword out. "We'll play a little game, sweetheart." Webmon laughed.
It definitely sounded cuter when Sakura said it, Kouji thought, trying to hide his disgust from Poisonmon.
"Ok, here's the deal." She proceeded. "If you refuse to come with me, I'll tell Poyomon to kill Sakura, and believe me, he can do it." She laughed. Kouji turned around and looked at Sakura, sitting on the ground besides Poyomon, totally unaware of everything that was happening at the moment with Poisonmon.
"That is blackmail, not a game!" Kouji had finally founded that Poyomon did worked for her… and he had left Sakura alone with him!
"It's your call, pretty boy. You come with me, or she dies."
***
Kouji's taking too long. Something is not right, Sakura thought as she looked around, trying to find Kouji or Lobomon with the moon's light, but she couldn't see much. Poyomon was still in her shoulder, though.
"How more time are we going to wait for Kouji, Sakura?" Poyomon asked with his cute voice.
"Well… I don't know." She admitted. Then, she stood up, knowing that their plan had failed. "Come on, let's go look for him." She said as she started walking with Poyomon on her shoulder.
"How are we going to find him?" Poyomon asked, and he was right. They had no clue of where to search for Kouji.
Suddenly, it clicked her. The drop had pointed at Kouji when they separated, back when they founded Poyomon! Hoping it would work, Sakura stuffed her hands in her pocket and got the drop out. She looked at it with pleading eyes, knowing she needed to find Kouji. It had been her plan in the first place; it something happened to him it would be her fault.
"Ok, please, tell me how to find Kouji." Sakura whispered and then she held the drop in her palm. It quickly started spinning and glowing until it stopped and its pointy edge directed them. It was like a useful and practical compass.
***
"She'll find me, even if she doesn't know I'm missing." Kouji assured Poisonmon from his spider web prison. Her reminded himself of a fly stocked in a spider's web, trying to fight for his life without success. "She has to." He nervously added in a whisper.
Poisonmon had used her spider webs to trap Kouji, and she had put extra effort on the web, making sure that it didn't brake easily.
"I really doubt it. I don't think she is going to try to find you." Poisonmon laughed cheerfully as she approached the hanging kid.
They were in some sort of cave hidden in the middle of the forest, where everything gave the aspect of being black or dark blue and with many tunnels on the walls. Poisonmon quickly made herself a place to sit at the vey back of the cave, where she could perfectly watch Kouji and she enjoyed of the feeling of superiority. It had been hard no killing that brat that was with Kouji, but a deal was a deal. Anyway, she had Kouji with her, and that was all that mattered. Poisonmon had even forgotten the pact she'd made with the lord of all the Digital World. All she cared about was Kouji.
"You better hurry, Little Nuisance!" Kouji muttered, careful of not talking very loudly. Poisonmon was very busy searching something, so she had her back turned on Kouji. It wasn't a lovely sight; that was for sure.
"Where's your D-Tector?" A sweet whisper came from behind Kouji.
He actually had to twist a bit his neck to get a glimpse of Sakura's body, accompanied by Poyomon on her shoulder.
"How did you find me?!" He asked, curiously more irritated than before; being seeing like that by Sakura wasn't really helping. At least he wasn't alone with Poisonmon.
"Thank Poyomon and the Star." She winked.
"Poyomon…" Kouji muttered to himself in anger. Poisonmon had definitely made clear he worked for her. "In my pocket. I can't reach it." Kouji admitted reluctantly.
"Yeah, I figured that you couldn't reach it." She said with sarcasm.
"Then, what are you waiting for! Get it out!" He exclaimed.
"What? I'm not going to search you until I find it!" She half-whispered, half-yelled at him. "Let me get you out of this… thing." She said as she inspected the web, trying to find a place where it would seem weak. "Wow, she really wants you to stay with her, doesn't she?" Sakura joked while she got the Star out and tried to cut the web with its pointy edge.
"I don't find it funny." Kouji muttered as he felt Sakura's warm hands against his ice cold hands and then he felt the point of whatever she was using to set him free. "Ow! Concentrate on what you're doing instead of fooling around." He grunted.
She ignored his comment and kept cutting the web that tied Kouji's right hand, so he could get his D-Tector out. Kouji started looking in his pockets until he founded it, just in time to feel his left hand free and land safely in the ground. Just in the same instant his feet touched the ground, Poisonmon fired one of her web threads, which easily attached to Kouji's D-Tector and took it from him, leaving his hand empty.
Sakura quickly founded herself facing that recently evolved Digimon, who was scarier than Webmon. She hadn't realized that she had stepped out from behind of the web that trapped Kouji and she was staring at that Digimon. Kouji's protective arm was suddenly in front of her, and his body took its place in no time. When Poisonmon spoke, Sakura could only see her through Kouji's shoulder, because even his head was blocking the view.
"You're bold for coming here, little brat. But he's not going anywhere near you!" She yelled with anger and jealousy, glaring something more than daggers at Sakura from over Kouji's shoulder.
"I…"
"Cut it out!" Kouji finally yelled, tired of remaining absinthe from a situation that definitely concerned him.
"No! Don't do it!" Poyomon cried from Sakura's shoulder and he waddled back down to the ground, walking towards Poisonmon.
"No, wait!" Sakura cried, but Kouji stopped her from moving by holding her forearm.
"What happened to you?" The little Poyomon cried with his black eyes shining because of the tears that were about to come. "I thought I could help them by bringing them to you, but you only tried to hurt my friends!"
Poisonmon laughed mischievously and, with one of her eight arms, she pushed Poyomon out of the way, making him fall to the ground and roll some meters away.
"Poyomon!" Sakura cried as she freed herself from Kouji and tried to reach Poyomon, who was on the floor besides Poisonmon.
Big mistake; she shouldn't have moved. Poisonmon used that advantage attack Sakura with her "Venom ----"powerful attack, consisting in throwing some deathly venom to her opponents, which has Poisonmon's favorite technique. Suddenly, seconds after the liquid touched Sakura, a body blocked it, receiving the attack itself. As Sakura's senses came back, she founded that the one who had taken the deathly liquid was no one else but Kouji. She could do nothing but to stare at his weak body, gasping for air.
"NO!" Poisonmon cried, but her scream was so squeaky that it hurt the ears of both Sakura and agonizing Kouji.
"Kouji…" Sakura began to blabber as she leaned to see him.
"Go." He weakly commanded, though he couldn't even understand himself.
"What? No…"
"Get out!" He repeated, trying to open his mouth bigger so she could understand him.
"No, what are you saying?" Sakura was panicking at the moment; Kouji was muttering something she couldn't understand!
All Kouji did was grunt before pushing slightly Sakura's shoulder; the moment he did, she fell backwards through one of the many tunnels that were on the walls of the cave, seeing a very injured Kouji disappear through the small open of the tunnel/hole.
She couldn't help screaming, even if she felt nothing. I was weird knowing that she was probably going to die and that she'd never see the light again but only screaming because of what she felt in her stomach. Probably it was because she trusted the drop would save her… or she hadn't felt the pain in her palm that always meant trouble; she held tight to her D-Tector, trying with all her might to not let it fall. Still, her mind was occupied by something else: Kouji. He had blocked the venom attack and he had been injured himself. Sakura wasn't sure of what that venom did, but she was beginning to lose hope in seeing Kouji again.
Then, she saw that, instead of solid rock there was water. She had salvation, even if she didn't know how deep it was. Honestly, it didn't look like an inoffensive puddle of water; actually, it didn't look like water at all. The color and consistence of the liquid reminded her of the material inside the Star; liquid silver. She breathed deeply before falling straight into the water… or whatever it was.
It wasn't cold, but it wasn't hot either. It felt cool and nice being swimming in that lake, but she didn't want to relax; she couldn't. Not when she knew that Kouji could be death right then. She sprang out of the surface and swam until she was safe in the ground again.
"Dang it." She muttered, panting loudly and taking deep breaths.
She looked at herself and realized that she wasn't even wet, which was weird, considering that she had fallen into a huge lake of… something. Then she looked around. The little light that got inside was from the hole Kouji had pushed her through, and it reflected beautifully on the silver lake.
"No!" She heard Poisonmon yell desperately, but she couldn't get the whole thing; she only caught the echoes of the last words she kept on screaming. "WHY…? LIVE! CAN'T… DIE!"
"Kouji…" Sakura sobbed. If Poisonmon was yelling like that, Kouji was surely death.
Her eyes started to fill with tears and she felt a single tear roll down to her cheek. She had sworn never to cry for a boy again… and she had met Kouji two days from then; why was she crying?! Why did she felt such a terrible sadness for someone she barely knew?! WHY?! More tears rolled down her cheeks and fell on the floor as she sobbed harder. She didn't even have the strength to get up; she just remained kneeling there, crying for Kouji.
She could never see Kouji, her best friend, again! She couldn't have the chance to thank him for his jacket, which she was still wearing, properly; or apologize to him for getting him in such a mess! She had killed Kouji! It was all her fault!
As her sobs became something more than gasps mixed with crying, sniffs and a few muffled screams, Poisonmon kept begging, and her echoes encouraged Sakura's tears.
"I'm… sorry." She whispered again, with her voice still affected by the tears. She wasn't used to apologizing, and now she might never have the chance of saying it to the person that deserved it. "I'M SORRY!"
Right after she had yelled to all the caver her apology, way too late, a silver light came out from the lake, illuminating the tunnel through which Sakura had fallen. It had taken the form of a ball, but when the D-Tector started glowing and its light attracted the ball of silver light, Sakura could see that it was actually a statue of some type colored in various tones of silver and blue and surrounded by the same light she'd seen when Kouji evolved. The D-Tector quickly absorbed the statue and a weird symbol appeared on the screen.
"It is time." The same female's voice that had brought them to the Digital World spoke and Sakura could do nothing than stare at it before she was surrounded by Digital Codes of a silver color, accompanied by an electric-bluish tone. With that same electric blue color, the outline of the statue was traced in the now black screen of her D-Tector and, all of a sudden, everything became clear in Sakura's mind.
She reached out her hand and waited for the circle of Digital Codes to appear around it, then, with her other hand that held the D-Tector, she traced a small 'S' as she passed the Digital Codes through the D-Tector's scanner.
"Execute!" She yelled as her hands finished sliding the Digital Codes through the scanner. "Spirit Evolution!" Her right hand completed the 'S' and then she moved both her arms clockwise in a circle.
She saw how the Digital Codes surrounded her body and sort of fusion it with the statue she'd capture instants before. She saw and felt how the Digital Codes were forming an armor, so she stretched her arms automatically. It was a weird armor, but Sakura couldn't really see because it was only blue spots. Once she had the armor on, Sakura founded herself standing over a platform, repeating her name: Argentmon.
She got back to the tunnel, only this time, Argentmon was perfectly capable of flying, so gave herself some impulse from the rock Sakura had been using to avoid falling, and she flew back to where Kouji and Poisonmon were. Before she got to the surface, she was able to hear some voices; one was Poisonmon, but the other one wasn't Kouji… it was Poyomon? She could only catch glimpses of what they were saying.
"YOU!" Poisonmon cried again; she was over Kouji's, who barely moved. "All this is your fault!"
"I suppose you didn't count on me finding my Spirit in your own cave!" Argentmon exclaimed, not wanting to admit that Poisonmon was right.
"You little…" Poisonmon didn't finish her phrase because she decided to fire her venom again… and she had to choose between throwing venom or begin a monologue.
At the evident attack from Poisonmon, Argentmon could think of nothing but of covering herself with a shield. As if the knowledge had been on her head all along, the words for her defensive block came to her mouth.
"Gin Shield!" She exclaimed. Her wings moved forward, changing from their usual blue color to silver and dissolving the venom quickly before it touched Argentmon. "Now it's my turn." She smirked. "Silver rain!"
Argentmon unfolded her wings and aimed at Poisonmon. Her Silver Rain consisted on firing daggers that formed in her wings to her opponent. Explained and done, Poisonmon's body became marked with the wounds that the daggers had made. Poisonmon cry again. Just then, Poisonmon's figure became black and she was surrounded by a circle of moving Digital Codes. Argentmon was about to get her D-Tector out when she founded herself surrounded by the same type of codes. The next thing she knew was that she had turned back into Sakura. Poisonmon's codes returned to her body and she came back with her horrible and frightening laugh. Sakura felt suddenly very tired and she was fighting against the shaking of her legs.
Poisonmon opened her mouth again, probably wanting to throw venom at her again.
"Sakura…" A weak Kouji said, as he tumbled from where he was lying and ended up in front of Sakura, willing to protect her again.
Poisonmon quickly changed the curse of her venom attack so it hit the ceiling instead of the kids. After having to using the strength that he had left, Kouji fell down to the ground; luckily, Sakura caught him before his knees touched the hard ground, but she was also weak. The cave started shaking, thanks to Poisonmon, who quickly disappeared through one of the many tunnels, leaving Sakura, Kouji, and Poyomon inside of a cave about to collapse.
"Poyomon, let's get out of here!" She yelled and Poyomon, who had remained on the ground the whole time, managed to stand up and waddled up to where Sakura and Kouji were. Sakura quickly got Kouji's D-Tector and managed to get out of the cave.
Kouji could hardly walk, so Sakura had to put his arm around her neck and carry him out of the cave just in time. The entrance of the cave was sealed with the many rocks that fell from the ceiling of the cave… all because Poisonmon didn't want to hit Kouji again. And she had left him there without checking if he was all right. She gently set Kouji on the ground and stared at him. He was shaking uncontrollably, pounding and grunting. Sakura stretched her shaking hand and touched his forehead, only to find that he was literally burning.
"Kouji…" She sobbed, not knowing what to do to cure him.
"Sakura…" He started muttering. His voice was weak and it was affected by shivers. "Sakura…"
"Kouji? I'm… here." She stared at Poyomon, but got no answer of what to do.
"Help me!" He pleaded. "Take it off me! Too… much… dark…" He kept on mumbling.
"He's burning with fever! There has to be water somewhere near!" She pleaded, but Poyomon kept looking at Kouji with a mortified expression and denied with his head.
"Satomi… mother… get out!" Kouji kept muttering, taking his hands to his ears. "Sakura, make it go!"
It was all her fault. She knew it! Kouji was injured because of her! She had to make that horrible plan; she had to be so stupid to let Kouji block the attack instead of moving! It was her fault and now she couldn't do anything to make him better.
"Sakura… it's too… much… too… dark." Kouji kept on going. "Why?! Make it go!"
With his words, Sakura had a hunch. She got out her Star and held it tight in her hands. Please, make Kouji better, she pleaded and then she placed the star on Kouji's shirt. The same sliver light illuminated the forest and covered Kouji; by the time the Star had stopped glowing, Kouji was rubbing the back part of his head.
"What happened?" He asked, taking the drop on his hand and giving it back to Sakura. "Have you been crying?" He asked suspiciously.
She stared at him, with her red eyes wide opened. He had lost his mind! He kept staring at her.
"What… happened to Poisonmon? Where are we?"
"You don't remember anything?" She asked, still filled with surprise.
"I remember… you fell through a tunnel." He doubted. Sakura couldn't help but to start laughing. They had been through so much and he nearly dies… and he just remembered she fell through a tunnel?!
"You were hit by her venom, and then you pushed me through that tunnel, and… I thought you were death! And I founded my Spirit!" She exclaimed.
"I'm sorry, but all of this was my fault. I didn't know that Webmon had been taking by evil." Poyomon said. "I want to apologize by doing some favor to you." He lowered his head.
Kouji and Sakura shared a confused look.
***
"Well, here we go, miss." The old blacksmith Digimon said, handing Sakura back her silver drop with a pretty chain attached to it.
Poyomon's favor consisted in taking them to a blacksmith to get a chain for the drop and avoid losing it. Sakura inspected the necklace; it was definitely a beautiful work.
"Let me help you." Kouji muttered and grabbed the necklace, moving behind Sakura.
"Oh." She blushed. "Thank you." She whispered as she held her hair out of the back of her neck so Kouji could tie the necklace. When he finished, he pulled her hair back to its place.
"It's pretty." He commented and then he did nothing but turning around to cover his blush. "So, I said 30 thoughts that crossed my mind in total, not counting when I had fever." Kouji showed off after a while.
"That means you won?!" Sakura exclaimed and looked at a smirking Kouji. "Perfect!" She gave him a warm smile.
"What…?"
"Look!" Poyomon shouted, staring at the sky.
The deep clouds that gave the impression of darkening the skies started to move and disappeared, and, after a while, Kouji and Sakura where able to feel the warm and cozy sun from the afternoon. Sakura took Kouji's jacket off and gave it to him.
"T-thank you, Kouji." She whispered and blushed.
"Huh? Oh, yeah." He blabbered and put on his jacket again smiling to himself. He'd missed it.
"Hey, kids." The blacksmith Digimon said again, interrupting whatever it was that they were thinking. "The Trailmons are going to work again, thanks to the clear sky."
"That means we have to go now." Kouji urged, pulling gently Sakura's arm.
"Poyomon, I want to thank you for all you did." She said, kneeling to rub Poyomon's head. "You proved you are very brave." Poyomon simply stared at her with his black eyes.
"Hey, pal… thanks." Kouji said, earning a smile from Sakura and a nice look from Poyomon. "Well, come on."
The waved back before running to where the old Digimon had told them they could catch a Trailmon. They had to wait a little, but the Trailmon finally showed, quite tired. They got in and relaxed with the sound of the Trailmon running through the rails. Kouji got his D-Tector out and started to inspection it. He turned it back and forth around his hands; he shook it a bit, and finally he looked at it from different perspective. Meanwhile, Sakura was having existential problems on how to say what she wanted.
"Kouji, there's something I want to say." Sakura began; she knew she was tired and needed to sleep, but she really needed to say that. How could she say it without hurting her stupid pride? She had all ready done it… well, I was alone in a cave and I thought Kouji was death, but still!
"What would that be?" Kouji asked as he stopped playing with his D-Tector and faced her. It was nice not having Poyomon around to butt around their conversations, but he was still going to miss him… and he regretted judging him so severely.
"I-I know all this happened because of me and…" She was blabbering at that point, and his stare wasn't helping much. "What I'm trying to say is… I would like you to know that… All this is…" Why was it so hard?!?
"Are you… trying to apologize?" Kouji asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Yes! Apologize, that's it!" Sakura exclaimed. She had to thank Kouji again for completing the hard part.
"I thought you hated to apologize."
"I do. But… I know you got kidnapped because of me, and… I just want you to know that… I… well…" She took a deep breath. "I'm… s-sorry!" She let out quickly as she closed her eyes.
"Umm… apology accepted." He smiled after a while; it had been hard to get the 'I'm sorry' part.
Then, another silent invaded them, a silence that Sakura used to try to fall asleep until Kouji remembered he had actually won the game. He couldn't believe that he had expressed more thoughts than her, but still, he knew that had been the purpose of the game all along; to make him trust in Sakura. She wasn't thinking of winning at any time. He owed her his life.
"We haven't decided my price yet." He suddenly said, looking at Sakura with his deep eyes again. She stood up from her seat with a great effort and sat beside him, giving him one of her famous closed-eyed smiles.
"What do you want?" She asked tiredly.
"I had thought of an apology at first, but since you all ready gave me one…" He was suddenly cut off.
Sakura, very quickly and without thinking in her deliberate actions, reached up to his face and gave him a little, quick kiss on the cheek, obviously blushing after doing it and thinking severely of jumping out of the train for. She realized that she was even more and more attracted by something about Kouji that was different.
She liked him… as a friend! She hurried up to complete in her mind. She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, wanting to sleep more than anything else in the world. Kouji was right; there was no other word for describing her Evolution but cool… and tiring maybe.
"Good night Kouji." She managed to mumble before the weight of her eyelids was suddenly too much and she was forced to close her eyes.
"G-Good night, Little Nuisance." Kouji said.
He had his hand still on his cheek, where Sakura had planted her little kiss. She had instantly fallen asleep on his shoulder. Of course she was tired; he had been also tired when he founded his Spirit. Now, what was the next thing they would face?
He looked at her, sleeping soundly in his shoulder with his jacket on. She looked weird… different. Maybe he was seeing her differently too. That didn't matter much, though. They were friends and they could get to the bottom of the mystery of the Silver Star together. He smiled, having troubles imagining her as a Digimon. As he stared out of the window, he could have sworn he saw Takuya and the others standing there, but that couldn't be… could it?
